Platform communication protocol

ABSTRACT

A host chipset heartbeat may be utilized, in some embodiments, to handle interrupts from external devices on a power efficient basis. The availability of the host chipset heartbeat may be signaled to external devices and those external devices may time their activities to a period of time when not only are resources available, but the assertion of the activity is advantageous because the host chipset is already transitioning from a lower power consumption state.

BACKGROUND

This relates to communications between external devices and a platform.

Conventionally, external devices communicate with a platform (such as acomputer or other processor-based device) by posing interrupts, events,and notifications to the platform. These interrupts can come at any timeand have no regard for what activity is currently being undertaken onthe platform.

Ideally, the platform may enter idle states to reduce power consumption.When the processor is in a reduced power consumption state and aninterrupt comes in from an external device, the interrupt may cause theplatform to power up to handle the interrupt. As a result, in manycases, it is difficult for the platform to minimize its powerconsumption because it has no effective control over the timing of theinterrupts that arrive from external devices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic depiction of one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is an in-band message packet format for one embodiment;

FIG. 3 depicts a sequence for decoding in-band messages; and

FIG. 4 is a sequence that may be utilized by the embodiment shown inFIG. 1 to handle communications from external devices.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Platform power consumption may be reduced when activity within thesystem that includes both the platform and its external devices isaligned. As a result, the time that the system is idle may be increasedwhich, in turn, allows better use of reduced power consumption states.

Generally, a system-wide clock is not visible to each source ofactivity. In other words, the system may include a number of externaldevices which are not synchronized with respect to communicating withthe platform itself. In some embodiments, a synchronization mechanismthat is system-wide may be provided by overlying existing sidebandsignaling or in-band messaging.

Without alignment, the external devices tend to assume bus masteringcapabilities with an asynchronous interrupt generation or traffic cycleinitiation. As a result, the platform would conventionally need to bedesigned to be ready for activities at any time, making platform powermanagement less successful.

Generally, platform events follow an established timing, particularlywhen the platform is idle. An operating system timer tick is a form ofscheduling reminder for the system microprocessor. Upon an interruptthat represents that scheduling reminder, the microprocessor conductsits workload in an active window and then enters a low power consumptionstate as it becomes idle. In one case, the interrupt may be IRQ0/8. Theactive window may be typically short, on the order of a few hundredmicroseconds, for a typical idle system. In contrast, the operatingsystem timer tick may have a significantly longer periodicity. Forexample, Microsoft Windows® operating system has a current periodicityof 15.6 milliseconds. While that periodicity represents a significantidle period, there are also small time windows where some basicfunctions depend on system resource availability to make progress. Anexample is the support of display refresh in an idle system using apartial frame buffer.

These small time windows of system resource (such as system memory)availability, marked by synchronization signals, are known asheartbeats. Heartbeats are not necessarily periodic or static. Theinterval between heartbeats depends on the functionality, as well as theinternal buffering resource on the platform. Since system resources, aswell as the platforms themselves, are active during the heartbeats,interrupts and traffic cycles from external devices may be aligned inthese heartbeat time windows. This may result in increasing thedeterministic idle times on the platform and increasing power managementopportunities.

In one embodiment, by extending an existing sideband signal used fordevices to wake a sleeping system, external devices may be notified whenopportunities exist to align their interrupts and traffic cycles to atime period when system resources are available. In addition to sidebandsignals, other signaling mechanisms may be used as well, including, forexample, system management bus or simple serial transport (SST)approaches.

In other embodiments, in-band messaging may be used alone or in concertwith out-of-band signaling to synchronize tasks, raised by externaldevices, with the host heartbeat. The in-band messaging may beparticularly useful for devices that are not accessible via out-of-bandsignaling. These devices may include devices which have no out-of-bandsignaling infrastructure, as well as devices which are otherwiseinaccessible by out-of-band signaling mechanisms.

To implement synchronization using out-of-band signaling, a broadcastmechanism may be used that may include global sideband signaling ormessages through a system management bus. Use of sideband signaling isdesirable, in some embodiments, because, otherwise, conventionalsignaling would defeat the intent if the primary interconnect or busbetween the chipset and the device were prohibited to enter low powermodes. In the following discussion, an example of shared sidebandsignal, available through PCI Express, to support the synchronizationcommunication is provided, but the present invention is in no waylimited to this specific example. See the PCI Express Base 2.0Specification, Jan. 15, 2007, available from PCI-SIG, 3855 SW 153^(rd)Drive, Beaverton, Oreg. 97006.

The use of a sideband WAKE# signal is further enhanced to provide thehost chipset the ability to communicate the opportunity to synchronizetraffic activities. The goal of this synchronization is to reduceplatform power consumption by encouraging all system resources toperform direct memory access and microprocessor interaction activitiesin a common time window, such that the idle time between such activitiesis gathered together, allowing the use of lower power consumption statesduring this lengthened and more deterministic idle period.

In accordance with the PCI Express specification, an external deviceasserts WAKE# with the bus in the L2 state. As a result of the contactfrom the external device, the bus transitions to the L0 state after aperiod of time. In response, the chipset asserts a WAKE# signal andenters the L0 state from either the L0 or L1 state. The time forassertion of the WAKE# signal may be 10 nanoseconds to 50 microseconds,in some embodiments. The period of assertion of the WAKE# signal for theexternal device may be on the order of a microsecond in order toincrease the time window for traffic alignment.

Referring to FIG. 1, a host chipset 12 in a platform or system 10 may becoupled to external devices. The external devices may include endpoints34, 36, 38, and 40. They may also include other interfaces orcomponents, such as the switch 44, as an example. The external devicesmay be any of the external devices conventionally found in computersystems, including a storage device, a display, an input/output (I/O)device, and a network card, to mention a few examples. The host chipset12 may include a root complex 13 that may include one or moreprocessors, system memory, a basic input/output system memory, andbuses, among other components.

The host chipset 12 may include one or more internal switches 42. Asused herein, a switch is simply a device that may or may not makedownstream components directly inaccessible from the root complex. Inone embodiment, the switch 42 may be configured so as to make the switch44 inaccessible via out-of-band signaling. In such case, an in-bandmessage 43, precipitated by the root complex and issued by the switch42, may be used to communicate the availability of root complexresources to switch 44 and its downstream components, such as endpoints38 and 40.

The host chipset 12 may assert the sideband WAKE# signal when the linkis in the L0s or L1 state. Since the sideband WAKE# signal is a sharedsignal, it is possible for its assertion to occur when some links are inthe L0s or L1 state, while others are in the L2 state.

When an external device asserts the sideband WAKE# signal, the hostchipset 12 follows a standard wakeup sequence from the L2 state withoutchange from the conventional PCI Express behavior. When the host chipsetonly asserts the sideband WAKE# signal, the host chipset 12 waits forthe external device 14 to initiate a link training signaling exit fromL0s or L1 and then initiates traffic. The external device initiates linktraining if traffic is desirable and, otherwise, remains in the L0s, L1,or L2 state.

If the host chipset 12 asserts the WAKE# signaling, followed by externaldevice assertion, the host chipset and the external device use standardwakeup sequencing from the L2 state without change from conventionalbehavior. Other external devices with link states in the L0s or L1states may observe those sideband WAKE# assertion as a hint to aligntheir traffic when another device is waking up the system resource.

If the external device asserts the WAKE# signal, followed by the hostchipset assertion, the host chipset avoids the sideband WAKE# assertionif it detected the assertion of a sideband WAKE# signal. The externaldevice asserting the WAKE# signal continues the exit from the L2 state.Other external devices in L0s and L1 states may choose opportunisticallyto align their low power link state exit to initiate traffic.

In some embodiments, a notification is provided to external devicesabout the availability of system resources, as well as an internalresource. This affords external devices an opportunity to align theirinterrupts or traffic cycles when the resources become available,reducing the need to disturb the system resources and increasing powerconservation.

In some embodiments, synchronization hints may be provided to externaldevices such that they can become well behaved in aligning theirinterrupt communication and traffic cycles with host chipset resourceavailability. Doing so affords greater power management opportunities.

Historically, the WAKE# signaling on a PCI Express link is a mechanismto support device signaling when desired to exit from deep system ordevice low power states. Through the use of the same mechanism to alertthe device to the opportunity to align interrupt traffic cycles, anon-deep system or device low power system power conservation advantagesmay be achieved without significant additional overhead.

In cases where in-band messaging is more desirable or in cases (asdescribed above) where an out-of-band signaling is not feasible, in-bandmessages may be utilized. In some cases, the root complex 13 may knowthe system 10 configuration or hierarchy. It may learn the systemconfiguration, for example, as a result of an enumeration andconfiguration protocol used during the boot-up sequence. The basicinput/output system may include code that causes devices within thesystem to be enumerated and enables the system to know the architectureor hierarchy of the system.

Then, the root complex 13 may determine how best to notify variousexternal devices of the availability of root complex resources. In somecases, based on the hierarchy or configuration of the system, in-bandmessaging may be the best or only alternative and, in other cases, wheresuitable out-of-band signaling infrastructure is available, out-of-bandsignals may be utilized. It is also possible that, in some cases,entirely in-band messaging may be utilized and, in other cases, entirelyout-of-band signaling may be utilized.

One message format for an in-band message 43, shown in FIG. 2, mayinclude a conventional bus protocol message packet. In the example shownin FIG. 2, a PCI Express specification compliant message packet formatis utilized. Bytes 0-3 provide conventional information about the natureof the message, including its length and type. Bytes 4-7 provide therequestor ID, a tag, and a message code which, in one embodiment,uniquely identifies the packet as one relating to in-band messaging.Bytes 8-12 may be reserved and may include a particular in-band messagecode 45.

The in-band message code 45, better shown in FIG. 3, may include a firstcode which is all zeros, indicated in diamond 52. When this first codeis received, the endpoint knows that the root complex is fully active,as indicated in block 54. If that code is not the one that is received,then the sequence checks for a code, which includes a zero followed byall ones, indicating that a bus master mode is activated. In the busmaster mode, the system memory path is available for device memoryread/write bus master activities. If that code is not implicated, then,as determined in diamond 60, a code, which is zeros followed by ones,indicates that the root complex is inactive, as indicated in block 62.

In one embodiment, the in-band message may be a point-to-point messagethat propagates from an upstream component, such as root complex 13, toall downstream components. In the PCI Express protocol, it can beimplemented as a 100b message, for example.

Thus, as one example, an endpoint may initially receive a codeindicating that the root complex is inactive, may later receive a codeindicating that the root complex is active, and then may receive a codeindicating that the root complex is in bus master mode, and, finally,may receive a code indicating that the root complex is again inactive.In some embodiments, the endpoint may take advantage of the signalingthat the root complex is active to implement bus mastering andinitiation of interrupts. In this way, the system power consumption maybe reduced and response time may actually be increased in someembodiments.

Referring to FIG. 4, sequence 18 may be implemented by hardware,firmware, or software stored on the host chipset 12 or in connectionwith other components. In the case of a software implementation, acomputer readable medium, such as a semiconductor memory, may be used tostore the software. The software may be stored in the root complex 13,as indicated in FIG. 1, or elsewhere within the system. The computerreadable medium may store instructions that, when executed, perform thesequence illustrated in FIG. 4.

Initially, the host software 18 checks for host assertion of in-bandmessaging or out-of-band signaling at diamond 20. If there is such anassertion, a check at diamond 22 determines whether an external deviceinitiates messaging or signaling. If so, the host asserts the signalingor messaging (block 29) and the sequence proceeds as described above.

In block 24, the enumeration file, for example developed by the basicinput/output system is acquired. The root complex identifies nodes forin-band messaging and side-band signaling, as indicated in block 26.Then, in block 28, the signals and commands for in-band messaging orside band signaling are sent as appropriate.

Namely, in the case of use of out-of-band signaling, if the externaldevice is the only one that asserts the WAKE# signaling, both theexternal device and the host chipset sequence from the L2 state withoutchange from conventional operation. When the host chipset alone assertsthe WAKE# signaling, the host chipset waits for the external device toinitiate link training, signaling the exit from L0s or L1 and theninitiates traffic. The external device initiates link training iftraffic is desirable and, otherwise, remains in the L0s, L1, or L2states. In the case where a host chipset assertion is followed byexternal device assertion, the standard wakeup sequence may be utilized.Similarly, with external device assertion, followed by host chipsetassertion, the host chipset avoids sideband WAKE# signal assertion if itdetected the assertion of the sideband WAKE# signal. The external deviceasserts the sideband WAKE# signal and continues its exit from the L2state.

References throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “anembodiment” mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristicdescribed in connection with the embodiment is included in at least oneimplementation encompassed within the present invention. Thus,appearances of the phrase “one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” are notnecessarily referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, theparticular features, structures, or characteristics may be instituted inother suitable forms other than the particular embodiment illustratedand all such forms may be encompassed within the claims of the presentapplication.

While the present invention has been described with respect to a limitednumber of embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate numerousmodifications and variations therefrom. It is intended that the appendedclaims cover all such modifications and variations as fall within thetrue spirit and scope of this present invention.

What is claimed is: 1-18. (canceled)
 19. An apparatus comprising: aprocessor comprising logic to: generate a wake message, wherein the wakemessage comprises a packet to include at least twelve bytes, the packetincludes at least one code field to include a particular code toindicate that the packet comprises a wake message, and the particularcode comprises at least five bits, wherein the packet further comprisesan address field, a tag field, a field to identify length of the packet,and an identifier field to identify the source of the packet; and sendthe wake message to another device over an interconnect, wherein thewake message is to cause a resource of the other device to be activated.20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the wake message comprises anin-band wake message.
 21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the packetfurther comprises an address field corresponding to the other device.22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the other device comprises amemory device.
 23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the wake messageis to activate read/write activities.
 24. The apparatus of claim 19,wherein the interconnect comprises a point-to-point interconnect. 25.The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the interconnect utilizes aspecification-defined protocol.
 26. The apparatus of claim 19, whereinthe wake message is sent to propagate the message downstream from theapparatus to the other device.
 27. The apparatus of claim 19, whereinthe resource comprises a hardware component.
 28. A method comprising:generating a wake message, wherein the wake message comprises a packetto include at least twelve bytes, the packet includes at least one codefield to include a particular code to indicate that the packet comprisesa wake message, and the particular code comprises at least five bits,wherein the packet further comprises an address field, a tag field, afield to identify length of the packet, and an identifier field toidentify the source of the packet; and sending the wake message toanother device over an interconnect, wherein the wake message is tocause a resource of the other device to be activated.
 29. The method ofclaim 28, wherein the wake message comprises an in-band wake message.30. The method of claim 28, wherein the packet further comprises anaddress field corresponding to the other device.
 31. The method of claim28, wherein the wake message is to activate read/write activities. 32.The method of claim 28, wherein the interconnect comprises apoint-to-point interconnect.
 33. The method of claim 28, wherein theresource comprises a hardware resource.
 34. An apparatus comprising: aprocessor; a receiver to receive a wake message from another device overan interconnect, wherein the wake message comprises a packet to includeat least twelve bytes, the packet includes at least one code field toinclude a particular code to indicate that the packet comprises a wakemessage, and the particular code comprises at least five bits, whereinthe packet further comprises an address field, a tag field, a field toidentify length of the packet, and an identifier field to identify thesource of the packet; and a resource manager to cause a resource to beactivated.
 35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the wake messagecomprises an in-band wake message.
 36. The apparatus of claim 34,wherein the packet further comprises an address field corresponding tothe other device.
 37. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the wakemessage is to activate read/write activities.
 38. The apparatus of claim34, wherein the interconnect comprises a point-to-point interconnect.39. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the resource comprises a hardwareresource.
 40. A system comprising: a first device; and a second deviceconnected to the first device by an interconnect, wherein the seconddevice comprises: a processor; protocol logic to generate a wakemessage, wherein the wake message comprises a packet to include at leasttwelve bytes, the packet includes at least one code field to include aparticular code to indicate that the packet comprises a wake message,and the particular code comprises at least five bits, wherein the packetfurther comprises an address field, a tag field, a field to identifylength of the packet, and an identifier field to identify the source ofthe packet; and a transmitter to send the wake message to the firstdevice over the interconnect, wherein the wake message is to cause aresource of the other device to be activated.
 41. The system of claim40, wherein the first device comprises a memory device.
 42. The systemof claim 40, wherein the wake message comprises an in-band wake message.43. The system of claim 40, wherein the packet further comprises anaddress field corresponding to the other device.
 44. The system of claim40, wherein the wake message is to activate read/write activities. 45.The system of claim 40, wherein the interconnect comprises apoint-to-point interconnect.
 46. A system comprising: means forgenerating a wake message, wherein the wake message comprises a packetto include at least twelve bytes, the packet includes at least one codefield to include a particular code to indicate that the packet comprisesa wake message, and the particular code comprises at least five bits,wherein the packet further comprises an address field, a tag field, afield to identify length of the packet, and an identifier field toidentify the source of the packet; and means for sending the wakemessage to another device over an interconnect, wherein the wake messageis to cause a resource of the other device to be activated.